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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Monday, May 29, 2017

In A Vase On Monday - We Remember

In A Vase On Monday is hosted each week by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. Click here to see what she's found in her garden to put in a vase today and to find links to posts of other participating bloggers.

Memorial Day in the US is a day set aside to remember soldiers who lost their lives for their country. While for many, this solemn day of remembrance has come to mean the beginning of summer, a long weekend, sales, and back yard barbecues, we must not forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us.

While talking to my niece on the phone on Sunday, she informed me that I had to make a Memorial Day vase today so off to the garden I went, phone in hand, to search for red, white, and blue flowers. Here's what I came up with:

NOID red rhododendrons from the parking strip.

Inherited Valerian (Valeriana officinalis.)

Kolkwitzia amabilis

Ceanothus branches that had to be cut as they were hanging over the sidewalk.

Props for today's vase include the flag from my father's coffin (both he and Tom's father served in World War Two but were lucky enough to return alive.) and a lit candle, a flame to remember the fallen.

Let us all continue to hope and pray for a day when war will cease.

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it."

The Twain quote is particularly appropriate. We ordered a flag through our U.S. Senator that flew over the U.S. capitol on our wedding day. So brings back those memories as well. Plus I think it is important for lefties to fly the flag as a reminder that it represents all of us.

About Me

Why Outlaw Gardener? I like to break the rules of good taste, plant placement, and plant hardiness. Also, I have received periodic "love notes" from the city code enforcement officer telling me that my parking strip plants encroach on the city's right-of-way. When expressing my distress over the latest such notice, I exclaimed to my pal Loree (Danger Garden) "I'm an outlaw gardener!" To which she replied,"That would be a good name for a blog."
My first gardens were in Southeast Alaska (zone 3.)I do miss the beauty and community of small-town Alaska but I don't take for granted for a moment how wonderful it is to garden in zone 8.